Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Ronald Searle

By now many of you have probably read obituaries for British illustrator Ronald Searle, who passed away late last year.

All I can add here are a few masterpieces which I acquired over the years.

Come to think of it, Searle's work has always been an important inspiration to me.

And because he was so prolific, there is much to admire.

The connection to Disney Animation is apparent to everybody with an eye for design and caricature. As you see in the photo, Searle visited Disney Studios

(in 1957), where he spent time with Walt and the animators. It was Ward Kimball

with whom he stayed in touch with over the years. Kimball kept a large framed Searle drawing, depicting a very old Mickey Mouse, in his living room. It was a gift.

Searle's graphic influence can be seen in Disney short films like "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom", "Pigs is Pigs" and others.

The feature "101 Dalmatians" looks like it was art directed by Searle. Ken Anderson sure knew how to apply the Searle style to that film. To this day "101 Dalmatians" remains the most visually gutsy, most modern and avant-gard looking Disney feature.

Chief character designer and animator Milt Kahl admired Searle as well. Both artists were true masters of the line. From Madame Mim to Madame Medusa,

there are visual influences. I wonder if Milt had ever seen the Searle illustration of Lucille Ball for TV Guide from 1966, when he designed Medusa a few years later.

Conceptually there are parallels, the wild orange hair, big eyes, arms and legs like sticks etc.

I don't think there is any doubt here that Milt studied and re-interpreted this Searle book illustration for the character of George Hautecourt from "The Aristocats".

Ronald Searle was a giant in the graphic arts, and wether he knew it or not, he helped modernize popular animation.

That is an incredible piece up there with the beach community. If I could add to this tribute. Here is a very touching story, of the magic of his drawings. It cemented to me, the fact that drawings capture what you feel and can be felt by the viewer and can never be thought of just something ordinary or less than(ever).

That is so funny before I scrolled down the page I said to myself that that character in the third drawing from the top looks so much like the character George Hautecourt. Thank you for sharing this art and keeping this artist alive for us.

This is off topic but I just purchased the short film Dream on Silly Dreamer and I loved it. It's always great to get some behind the scenes insight. Are they any other films like this that you recommend?

Brilliant, Andreas! I had never spotted the Searle inspiration for George Hautecourt before.

As I'm sure you know, in the opening shot of '101 Dalmatians' where Pongo is lazing on the window seat of Roger's house, a couple of magazines are visible on the seat: they are copies of 'Lilliput', to which Searle was a regular contributor and in which the first St Trinians cartoons were published...

Should you ever tire of UM or Matt J asking about the Searle pieces you own, give me a call...Seriously, though... The pieces are fantastic particularly the Holiday mag spread ( and I love Lucy, too.) Long live Ronald Searle.

Now I immediately think of Harlecourt's voice on top of the dialogue of the old guy from Molesworth. XD"Mr Chips? No such character ever existed."

I can see some Searle influence in some of Milt's more angular work...even though the design is the same, some of Anita's hand actions in scene three of 101 Dalmatians is pure Searle if he was drawing movement.